


A (Bad) Day For Death

by Very_Anxious_Bean



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Background Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Cancer, Character Death, Child Death, Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kid Thomas Sanders, Mentions of Cancer, Morality | Patton Sanders Needs a Hug, Morality | Patton Sanders is Death, Morality | Patton Sanders-centric, No Plot/Plotless, Roommates, Sad, Sad Morality | Patton Sanders, no happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-27 13:50:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21393238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Very_Anxious_Bean/pseuds/Very_Anxious_Bean
Summary: Patton doesn't like his job. At least Roman's still home when he gets back.
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Morality | Patton Sanders & Thomas Sanders
Comments: 6
Kudos: 43





	A (Bad) Day For Death

Patton hated- no, _loathed_ his job. He really did, but he didn't have a choice. He had to do it. Might as well seem cheery while he works, right? 

Even if it doesn't end well (it never does), Patton always seems happy. 

He walked into the hospital room, eyes falling onto the little boy on the hospital bed. The boy was pale, he had bags that shouldn't be _that_ dark, and he didn't move. He looked incredibly light, clearly underweight, and it was disturbing how clearly anyone could see his bones. Patton already knew the boy's name: Thomas. 

Thomas Sanders, a nine-year-old boy fighting cancer. Stage four cancer and Thomas wasn't looking too good. 

Patton sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for the boy to stir. As soon as Thomas blinked his eyes open, Patton put on a comforting smile. 

Thomas sat up, frowning. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Patton. "Who are you?" 

"My name is Patton. How are you feeling, Thomas?" 

"I feel... better. What are you doing here?" 

"I'm here to take care of you," Patton said. He glanced away from Thomas, seeing the heart monitor frozen. Everything was frozen, Patton could see the paused world around them. 

"But mama said- she said that the Doctors were already doing that, and I- I don't know you." 

Thomas' heart would have begun beating faster if it could. 

"It's okay, I promise. I'm going to help you, kiddo. You said you felt better?" 

"... Yeah." Thomas curled into himself a little. 

"That's good!" Patton grinned at the boy. "You don't feel as tired or as much pain?" 

Thomas shook his head. "What are you going to do?" 

"We get to leave the hospital today! Isn't that great, kiddo?" 

Thomas' eyes lit up. "We're leaving?"

"Mhm. Yeah, kiddo, we get to leave right now." 

"Where's my family? I wanna leave with them, too!" 

Patton felt his heart rip. This kid shouldn't have to go so soon. "They're already outside, honey. I'm gonna take you to them." 

Thomas didn't move. "Are they- are they mad at me?" 

"Oh, honey, no. Why would you think that?" Patton scooted closer to Thomas. 

Thomas didn't move away. "They aren't in here with me. I was sick and- and they were so sad and it's my fault! Mama cried a lot and-" 

"Thomas, kiddo, can you breathe for me real quick?" Patton knew the drill when someone was about to have an anxiety attack. Virgil taught him when he was training. "In for four seconds." 

Thomas inhaled. 

"Hold for seven." 

Thomas gasped at five seconds, tearing up and starting to hyperventilate quickly. 

"Okay, it's alright. Try again, okay? In for four." 

Thomas shakily inhaled. 

"Hold for seven, alright? You're doing great, it's okay." Patton talked Thomas through the anxiety attack, rubbing gentle circles into the back of Thomas' hands. 

After twenty minutes, Patton asked, "Are you ready to go, kiddo?" 

Thomas nodded, holding onto Patton as the man helped him up. 

They walked out of the room, and Patton comforted Thomas the whole time. 

Patton went to his room as soon as he got home, ignoring Roman. He felt bad, but Thomas' mother's wails echoed in his head and he couldn't handle it that well. 

Patton sat at his door, his back on the cold wood. His room was always cold. 

There was a gentle knock at his door and Patton let Roman in, trying to hold back the tears. 

"Hiya, kiddo. Are- are you okay?" 

Roman wrapped his arms around Patton. "Wanna talk about it?" 

Patton shook his head, burying his face in Roman's neck. 

"Okay," Roman murmured. He led them to his room, laying on his bed and pulling Patton into his chest. 

Patton was thankful Roman led them to his own room rather than stay in Patton's room. Roman's room was warm and comfortable, colourful and not too dark or bright. Unlike Patton's room where it was grey and blue, cold and dull. Almost like there was never any life in there. 

Patton huffed. Patton was a bright person with others, he knows others have called him "lively", which is quite ironic. 

"Last time I ask, promise. Do you want to talk about it?" 

It was silent for five minutes. 

"I really hate my job," Patton muttered. "Knowing I'm part of the reason others experience loss, grief, and depression. When I watch people _die_, slowly or painfully... It's hardly ever quick and painless. And the look on their faces are _terrible_!"

Roman nodded, not saying anything. 

"I- he was nine, Roman. Thomas was his name. He died too soon, and he died of _cancer_. His mother's screams were terrible and- and..." Patton curled into Roman and sobbed. 

"I'm sorry," Roman whispered. 

"He was so confused when we were outside," Patton choked out. "He started crying for his family, and by then everything unpaused. I had to pick him up and walk with him, screaming and kicking. He- he just wanted his family and I had to- I forced him to go on without them." 

Roman rubbed Patton's back, letting the man sob. He couldn't do anything for Patton other than hope someone who passed as Death would arrive soon. 

It was unlikely. Patton passed as Death more than three-hundred thousand years after the previous one passed. Patton was only ten years into the "job". 

To Roman, it was a miracle Patton hadn't become insensitive to everything. Patton was still the same as when he was alive; caring, patient, and an amazing person overall. He had moments, like now, where the deaths and depression got too much, but he always- well, he tries to move on. 

It was concerning. Patton didn't have many close friends, the only reason why he and Roman are this close is because they're roommates. Patton represses a million emotions around others, trying to be positive and happy. 

Roman's worried that, eventually, Patton will crack under the pressure. He doesn't know how far away that is and Roman hopes he's still alive by that time so he can support Patton and help the man. 

Patton wasn't looking forward to the day Roman dies, either. He didn't want to escort his best friend away from the living.


End file.
